


A Second Chance

by soulless_dynami



Category: Animal Jam (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Characters are Mentioned - Freeform, but otherwise i'm just using original ones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:46:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24832573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulless_dynami/pseuds/soulless_dynami
Summary: A decade has passed since the original six Alphas died, whether it be in battle or by natural causes. Six new animals have taken their place, chosen by a council that was established by the original six before they passed on.Sagitari, the new wolf Alpha, is different from her other five companions. She doesn't have her own Alpha stone like they do. But what eats away at her most of all is her guilt over past mistakes. She couldn't save her best friend from the phantoms.As it turns out, her best friend wasn't killed, but subject to a fate far worse than death. Almost two decades of their life, spent wandering unfamiliar lands, desperately trying to find a way home. They managed to come back, but now they have to readjust after being gone for so long.Maybe this is Sagitari's second chance to help them, and her best friend's second chance to build a new life.
Kudos: 3





	A Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> y'know what always irritated me? animal jam's lore. the alphas, especially liza, have the personality of cardboard. greely's the only one that had any degree of development. but aside from that, the plot hasn't really gone anywhere after all this time and a lot of dynamics haven't been acknowledged.
> 
> so i'm here to fill in the gaps that wildworks haven't filled themselves!! yes, i'm writing about a game i've outgrown years ago. but guess what? i don't care and i like making excuses to waste my time and make new projects without having finished every other project i've done. don't expect consistency. i'm lazy. and also, i wanna do what makes me happy.
> 
> keep in mind that i do have a plot in mind, and i don't have a lot of specific warnings that can apply right now. but for what i do have planned, i recommend you turn away if you're uncomfortable with swearing, some violence, character deaths, and sensitive topics that relate to mental health and abuse.

After fighting for so long, the destructive forces came to the realization that for this battle, they were outmatched. Patches of black and lavender retreated until they dissipated, and the natural colors of the world took their place. Once again, the shrouded phantoms had been beaten back by the Alphas and their loyal disciples. But this wouldn’t be the last time these chaotic beings came to invade. As long as they were still around, they would always be a threat.

Now was not a time to worry so much about the future, though. It was time to rejoice! More trapped animals were freed and allowed to rejoin the rest of Jamaa. While the Alphas were considered legendary heroes, they couldn’t take all the credit. After all, this may not have happened without help.

Two wolves basked in the light together as the warriors around them celebrated in victory. One, lean and well-built, had royal blue fur with silver swirling patterns and lighter accent colors. Their eyes were an off-white color, like ice. The other canine had gorgeous long black and white fur, highlighted with shapes colored as gold as her eyes.

“We’ve won again, Sagitari,” said the blue one, their expression relaxed and friendly. “You were great in the field.”

The black and white one whose name was Sagitari dipped her head and smiled. “So were you,” she replied. “I think your own fighting abilities rival Sir Gilbert’s.”

Her friend’s eyes widened in disbelief. Their ears pressed against the back of their head. “I mean, I know everyone tells me how great my fighting skills are,” they stammered. “But comparable to the tiger Alpha himself? You’re being too unrealistic here.”  
“If it weren’t true, Greely wouldn’t be allowing us in any of their business,” Sagitari pointed out, eyeing the tall wolf Alpha ahead. “That’s probably the reason he came around in the first place. He saw something in both of us, and we earned his respect. Well, some of it.”

When the female went to look at her friend again, she realized they were nowhere to be found. Sagitari’s golden eyes scanned the grassy land around her, trying to find any sign of them. Her eyes met a nearby tiger who she recognized as Drach, and he waved at her like nothing was wrong. But Cygnus was out of sight. Not in the fields around the hills, not between the trees a fair distance away, not around the flowering gardens. They simply vanished.

“Cygnus?” she called. “Where did you go?”

She could hear footsteps, but despite her best efforts to see where they were coming from, there was nothing. But they only got louder, closer, and she couldn’t see whatever was coming.

“Sagitari you big lump, get up!”

Something was jumping on the bed, now. The tired wolf’s eyes snapped open when she realized she was being violently shook. Disoriented, she slowly began to remember where she was. The familiar wooden walls, carved into a grand tree and made the familiar living space of the Alphas. Her home.

That vision was just a dream. A vivid one, but a dream nonetheless.

“What time is it?” Sagitari groaned, paws lazily pushing at the enthusiastic rabbit above her.

“Time for breakfast!” The alabaster figure continued to try and drag the protesting canine out of bed. “Zalis prepared something that looks really good! Come on, before Drach eats all of it.”

“Flouris, she can’t get up when you’re right on top of her,” said a nearby voice.

Reluctantly, the rabbit hopped off the bed and waited for the wolf to get up. Sagitari finally got to her four paws, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and joining her friends. She nearly stumbled down the mattress, but Flouris made sure to support her. Though hyper, at least she cared for Sagitari’s well-being.

“Good morning, Zalis,” Sagitari greeted the kind looking panda standing in the doorway.

“Good morning, Sagitari,” Zalis dipped his head and stood up straight, wooden staff in hand. “Terrae is making sure Drach doesn’t take all the food for himself.”

The wolf nodded slowly and adjusted her black tunic. She knew very well how huge the tiger’s appetite was. If she didn’t hurry, he’d think she wasn’t ever gonna eat it and help himself. That was a mistake she made too many times.

Before she left the room to join her friends for breakfast, her gaze fell on a framed photo on her nightstand. She could recall when that photo was taken even after all this time.

On the bottom right corner, a date was written on the picture. The day she and her best friend were promoted as adventurers for the Alphas. She smiled fondly as she remembered that they were already going out and helping Liza and Cosmo, and when Greely disapproved of their shenanigans. That promotion was just supposed to make things official. At least by then, the previous wolf Alpha was starting to come around. But if he hadn’t, that promotion would basically just be there so he had no choice but to deal with it.

There the original six Alphas were, standing with Sagitari and her best friend.

Cygnus.

Everyone looked happy, or at least not unhappy if you counted Greely.

_All of them been gone for over a decade,_ Sagitari realized, her expression changing to a somber frown. _But if Cygnus is still out there, they would come back, right?_

She didn’t get to be distracted by her thoughts for long before the impatient rabbit dragged her out of the room. Zalis politely separated them, and the old panda Alpha walked beside the wolf. Sagitari tried not to make an irritated face, but knowing Zalis…

“This is where you repeat my thoughts to me,” the wolf sighed. “Yet you claim not to be a mind reader. So, I’m just predictable.”

The panda wasn’t fazed by her bluntness. “You miss them,” he told her, confirming her predictions. “Not just Cygnus, but all of them.”

Despite her slight irritation, she simply nodded because he was still right. “I guess it’s just not the same, now that all the old Alphas are gone.”

“I’m sure all of Jamaa feels that way,” Zalis agreed. “Sir Gilbert was brave and a true leader. Liza was always welcoming and a true friend to everyone. Graham was an irreplaceable genius, Cosmo’s abilities were exceptional, Peck had quite the creative spirit, and Greely was a valuable warrior, a force to be reckoned with. They were the ones chosen by the Gods themselves. Nobody could ever replace them, even with the Alpha stones.”

The mention of the Alpha stones only filled Sagitari with more yearning for the old days. Greely’s stone was the only one that wasn’t recovered. He disappeared years ago and was never found again, but his stone was with him. The other stones were recovered, but nobody could find his. After the new Alphas were chosen, Sagitari was the only one who lacked a stone. The stones granted to the first six by the Gods during their choosing. The stones that gave them power.

Compared to the other second Alphas, Sagitari felt powerless and insignificant. And it was such irony, too. Greely was cunning, mysterious, and strong. He knew more about the phantoms than anyone. Whatever knowledge he had that was never written down died with him, if he truly was dead. So did his stone.

“Sometimes, it will do us some good to move on,” the panda explained, breaking through the tricolored wolf Alpha’s thoughts. “I miss the first six, too. But their deaths were over ten years ago. If we live in the past forever, there will be no moving forward. We won’t be prepared for what comes next.”

Just as he finished speaking, they entered the dining area of the hollow. Inside the large room with tables and comfortable chairs, the other three Alphas were eating their meals. A tiger, tall and robust, looked up from his plate and gave Sagitari a big smile.

“Good morning!” he called. “There’s room for three more!”

“Hey Drach!” Flouris greeted back. The rabbit rushed past Sagitari and Zalis to get a plate of her own.

A koala and a monkey feasted beside the tiger. The monkey gave Sagitari a wave, and the koala respectfully bowed her head. She had no pupils, rendering her blind.

Even though Sagitari wished endlessly for the easier days, she still felt warmth at the sight of the others. Not just Alphas, but her friends, her family.

_I wish Cygnus could’ve been around to join us,_ Sagitari thought. _We were always welcome._

The sight of her friends cheered her up, though, and she padded over to the table and sat down. Zalis kindly handed her a plate with her breakfast. It had the colors of plant life with some meat, sprinkled with various spices. It made Sagitari’s mouth water just to look at it.

_Flouris was right, this does look good…_

While she ate, the tiger sitting across from her spoke up.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

Looking up from her plate, the wolf tilted her head. “Well, I suppose. I didn’t have a nightmare, but it was weird at the end.”

Drach curiously perked his ears. “How so?”

“I had a dream about the old days,” Sagitari admitted after a moment of hesitation, anxiously tapping a paw against the table. “You were with us, but this was before the Phantom Factory. Cygnus was there, too. You remember them, right?”  
Drach nodded, his blue gaze showing seriousness. “How could I forget? They were awesome,” he sighed. “You were really lucky to have been as close as you were to them. I think we both miss them.”

Sagitari shut her eyes. Everyone missed them, that was no secret.

But I don’t think they miss them like I do.

“Agreed,” she finally mumbled. “But before I woke up, they had suddenly disappeared while I was looking away. I don’t know where they went. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive. Both in the dream, and in reality. And…”

She couldn’t hold back her thoughts, no matter what. “I should’ve been there to help. I wish I could’ve done something to bring them back. I wish we weren’t too late. I could’ve saved- “

“Hey,” Drach extended a large paw across the table to his friend’s. “It’s okay. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive, either. But we do know that the phantoms are probably what took them away. And whether or not they were killed, their absence won’t be in vain. Rather than being so upset about their disappearance, use that to help you fight so nobody ends up the same way. And even if you could’ve done something, there’s no point dwelling on what’s already done with. We still have the future.”

Sagitari couldn’t hold back a smile, as sad as she was. Having Drach as a friend felt like a blessing. “You were always good at getting our spirits up,” she responded. “I think the council made the right choice, choosing you to take Sir Gilbert’s place.”

“Thanks,” said Drach with a foolish looking grin. But he had no malicious intent, he never did. While he lacked Sir Gilbert’s formal attitude, he acted like a true friend. He checked in with everybody, kept them motivated. “Remember, none of us need blessings from the Gods to be strong.”

The wolf’s expression lightened up at his encouragement. “Perhaps you’re right.”

“No, no perhaps!” Drach playfully batted her paw, causing her to giggle. “I am right about that.”

Before they both had the chance to finish their food, a voice called out to them from the entrance to the dining room. Everyone in the room paused to listen.

“A messenger has arrived with news!” Sagitari heard the monkey Alpha Terrae shout, getting the attention of his fellow Alphas. “Someone arrived at the gates this morning. They said it looked like a phantom, and it was drooling tar and purple goo.”

An unfamiliar owl stood beside the monkey, and Sagitari guessed it was the messenger.

“They requested an audience with the Alphas,” said the messenger. “Specifically, Sir Gilbert and Liza.”

Drach narrowed his eyes. “Sir Gilbert and Liza have been gone for years.”

“We told them that!” the messenger cried. “But they just got angry! They kept asking about Sagitari for some reason. When we asked for their name, they refused to answer to us.”

Suddenly, Sagitari rushed to her paws and approached the messenger. Her heart was bursting in her chest. If it was who she thought it was, she had to see them. There was no time to stop and think. “Was it a wolf?” she asked. “Blue and silver?”

But to her dismay, the bird shook their head. “N… No,” they answered. “I mean, they looked like a wolf. Almost. But they also looked half phantom. Their fur was black and purple, and they looked as though they were fused with tar.”

That was something. She couldn’t just refuse to see whoever it was. Why else would they ask for the original six, or even for her specifically? It had to be them.

“Let me talk to them,” Sagitari ordered.

“Wait!” Drach exclaimed, reaching a large paw out to her. “We don’t know who it is or if we can trust them!”

The female stood her ground. “I must,” she grumbled. “Whoever it is must be confused. They clearly need our help.”

Terrae and the messenger exchanged glances, but they stepped aside to let the wolf Alpha through. Before she could leave, however, the koala Alpha stopped her.

“Noctiluca?” Sagitari muttered.

Even without pupils, Sagitari could feel the blind koala staring at her. “Beware,” warned the seer. “If it is who you think, remember that they were your friend over ten years ago, but you have not seen them since. The wolf has changed, not just in looks, but in heart.”

The koala’s cryptic words felt like icy talons gripping her soul, sending chills down her spine.

“Everyone would change after all this time,” Sagitari said quickly. “I’m their best friend. They wouldn’t harm me.”

Noctiluca only responded with silence. The koala didn’t stop Sagitari, though, and allowed her to continue down the halls.

With guidance from the messenger, she was led outside of the Alphas’ Hollow and they made a right turn into the conference chambers. There, guards stood with a strange wolf inside who was being spoken to by Zalis. Upon Sagitari’s arrival, the wolf suddenly got up from where they were sitting and rushed over. But the wolf Alpha was alarmed at the abrupt action, and she stepped back.

“Sagitari?” whispered the black and purple figure. Their voice, despite being hoarse, held a familiarity that Sagitari wouldn’t forget. “Sagitari- I know, I know I look different. But I promise it’s me, Cygnus. You remember me, right?”

Cygnus in her mind was still the blue and silver wolf she always knew, but her instincts convinced her that this is who they are now. After more than a decade has passed, of course they would’ve changed. But Sagitari never thought…

Rather than meeting Cygnus with a greeting, she whispered in horror. “What was done to you?”

She saw Cygnus’s expression shift to one of anger. She had never seen them look so hateful. But after whatever happened, wouldn’t it be justified?

“The phantoms,” Cygnus snarled bitterly. “They did this to me. They kept me trapped in that damn factory for weeks, and they turned me into this.”

“But you’re home,” Sagitari shook her head. “You’re home, now. I’m still your friend. We’ll find a way to put your life back together. You won’t be lost forever, I promise.”

The anger in her old friend’s face seemed to fade, and Cygnus lowered their head. “I’m sorry for snapping at you,” they sighed. “I haven’t seen the liveliness of home in... almost twenty years, was it?”

Sagitari pressed her paws against the tar-covered wolf’s, resisting the urge to pull away after feeling the sticky texture. “It’s alright,” she reassured them. “It’s all okay. You’ve been lost for so long. I understand.”

Quickly, she began to regret her words, though. She doesn’t understand. She doesn’t know what it’s like to be lost for that long.

“You’re the wolf Alpha now, right?” Cygnus questioned out of the blue.

Sagitari froze. She didn’t know how this conversation would go. Even though she took the position, she always felt like Cygnus would have deserved it more. And now, they were here, and they knew.

Years ago, they were equals. But as the Alphas got older, and it was common knowledge they would need successors, many animals thought Cygnus would be great for the job. With all those expectations…

“Yes,” Sagitari answered. She couldn’t deny it.

“Then you have more authority,” Cygnus concluded. “The phantoms broke us apart. But as long as we’re together, they’ll never do it again. And we will strike back harder than they’ve ever struck us. The phantoms will be destroyed, now that we’re reunited. We can fight together again.”

Her friend was always bold like that. Perhaps not focusing as much on destroying the phantoms, but it was nice to see that they still had a fighting spirit after everything. Sagitari wanted so badly to catch up on everything and give Cygnus a welcoming party and give them the honor they deserved for their years of service.

Yet, lingering in her mind, the koala’s words continued to repeat themselves.

_“Beware, if it is who you think, remember that they were your friend over ten years ago, but you have not seen them since. The wolf has changed, not just in looks, but in heart.”_

…

_No. Cygnus deserves another chance. I will help them put their life back together, whatever it takes._

_I won’t leave my best friend again._

**Author's Note:**

> while i'm not against the idea of critique, my confidence is below 0 so even if i know the other person means well, i get anxious anyway. i'd appreciate it if y'all kept mindful of that fact.


End file.
